Filtration device for plastic canteen



hm 1967 P. E. DURAND ETAL 3,31%,4

FILTRATION DEVICE FOR PLASTIC CANTEEN Filed Oct. 21, 1965 United StatesPatent 3,323,684 FILTRATION DEVIQE FOR PLASTIC CANTEEN Philip E. Durand,Hudson, and Jack F. Furrer, Wayland, Mass., assignors to the UnitedStates of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army FilledOct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. %,445 5 Claims. (Cl. 222--189) The inventiondescribed herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a screw-on cap for a fluid container having anexternally threaded spout through which fluid is introduced into andremoved from the container. More particularly, the invention relates toa screw-on cap for a water canteen such as is used by the Armed Forces.

In military operations it is customary for a soldiento carry a watercanteen attached to his belt or other equipment to provide necessarywater for drinking and, in certain cases, for reconstituting dehydratedfoods. Such a canteen is described in military specification MILC-43103A, Nov. 2, 1964, entitled, Canteen, Water, Plastic, With Screw Cap.Since the capacity of such a canteen is only about 1 quart, it is oftennecessary for the canteen to be refilled in the field from streams orponds. However, this sometimes results in particles of solid matter,such as sand, twigs, and the like, entering the canteen with the water.Various expediencies have been tried for preventing the ingress of solidmatter while permitting rapid filling of the canteen but have not beenfound sat1sfactory, primarily due to the fact that the filter means mustbe removable to permit chemicals in tablet form to be introduced intothe canteen and are therefore quite susceptible to loss or damage. It istherefore an object of this invention to provide an improved screw-oncap for a fluid container which has filter means embodied in the carnother object of the invention is to provide a screw-on cap for a watercanteen capable of preventing gross solld particles suspended in groundwater from enterlng the canteen along with the water when the canteen 1sbeing filled therewith.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved canteen forstoring and transporting water from which gross particles of solidmatter have been removed by means of a filtering device incorporated inthe cap of the canteen.

These objects and advantages are obtained according to the invention byproviding means for admitting filtered water in the side wall of thecanteen cap such that when the cap is partially unscrewed, but still inposition 011 the canteen spout, filtered water will be admitted to thecanteen through the side wall of the cap.

Referring now to the drawing wherein for purposes of illustration oneembodiment of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a canteen having the improved screw-oncap of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a central vertical cross-section of the canteen taken alongthe line 2-2 in FIGURE 1 showing the cap in the closed position on thespout.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view similar to FIGURE 2 with the lower portionof the canteen broken away showing the cap in a partially unscrewedposition for the purpose of filling the canteen in accordance with theinvention.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross-section of the cap taken along the line4-4 of FIGURE 3.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, a canteen lti having anexternally threaded spout 11 is provided with an internally threadedgenerally cylindrical screw-on cap 12 for cooperating with spout 1.1 toseal the free end 13 thereof. The cap is retained against loss byflexible cap retainer 14 extending between the cap and the base of thespout. The cap retainer 14 is attached to the cap 12 in such a manner asto permit the cap to be freely rotatable with respect to the retainer.The end 13 of spout 11 has a flat upper surface which lies substantiallyin a horizontal plane. Spout 11 is provided with external threads .15making at least two complete turns around the exterior of the spout andformed so as to mate with internal threads 16 in screw-on cap 12.

Screw-on cap 12 is preferably made of a resilient plastic material andis provided with a raised sealing ring 17 formed on the interior surface18 of the top 19 of the screw-on cap as a raised circular portion of theinterior surface 18 which contacts the end 13 of the spout 11 when cap12 is screwed tightly onto spout .11 to form a liquid-tight seal aroundthe periphery of the end 13 of spout 11. The cap has a suflicient numberof turns of internal threads 16 to permit unscrewing cap 12 at least onefull turn from its tightly closed and sealed condition without becomingdisengaged from external threads 15 of spout 11. The cap 12 is alsoprovided with a peripheral recess 20 formed in the sidewall 21 thereof,spaced from the open end 22 thereof, and opening to the outside of thescrew-on cap. This peripheral recess lies in a plane perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis of cap v12 and has a series of arcuately spacedopenings 23 passing through sidewall 21 from the interior surface 24thereof to the bottom 25 of peripheral recess 20. Peripheral recess 20and openings 23 are spaced in the sidewall 21 so that when the cap isunscrewed one full turn from a closed position, the interior ends of theopenings will be above the end 13 of spout 11. Openings 23 arepreferably arcuately spaced around the periphery of the screw-on cap. Ascreen 26 of suitable mesh size, preferably having inch hole openings,constructed of metal wire or plastic filaments or other material capableof screening or filtering out gross solid particles suspended in aliquid, is fixed within peripheral recess 20 so as to cover the outerend of each of the openings 23 and to filter any liquid passing throughthe openings. The cap 12 is also provided with a plurality of raisedribs 27 running longitudinally along the exterior of sidewall 21 betweenopen end 22 and peripheral recess 20 to provide means for gripping thecap 12 tightly when closing or opening the canteen by rotating thescrew-on cap with one hand while holding the body portion of the canteen10 with the other hand.

The invention is used in the following manner, beginning with thecanteen at least partially empty and closed: The cap 12 is rotated in acounterclockwise direction one full turn so that sealing ring 17 isdisengaged from the end 13 of spout 11 and substantially all of the openportions of the interior ends of openings 23 are above the end 13 ofspout 11. The canteen is then held submerged in a body of ground water,such as a river, lake, or pond, with the body portion down and spout 11and cap 12 up and in a position so that water flows through screen 26and one or more of openings 23 into spout 11 and thus into the canteenwhile air flows out of the canteen through spout 11 and at least one ofthe openings 23 until most of the air has been displaced from thecanteen 'by filtered water. The canteen is then removed from the body ofwater and the screw-on cap is rotated in a clockwise direction untilsealing ring 17 forms a liquid-tight seal with the end 13 of spout 11.

The cap 12 can be easily completely removed from the spout for drinkingor dispensing purposes or for the purpose of adding chemical tablets torender the filtered water potable without any need to be concerned overremoval of a filtration device.

The filling procedure can, of course, be repeated as often as requiredby a soldier or other person requiring filtered water and the filtrationmeans may be readily back-flushed for cleaning purposes by eitherloosening the cap as in the filling procedure and tipping the canteen toallow water to flow out through the filtration means or by uncoveringthe cap completely and pouring water into the interior of the invertedcap.

It can be seen that the present invention provides an inexpensive,simple and effective means for filtering ground water with which acanteen is being refilled by immersion without adding any loose parts orincreasing weight or bulk and without sacrificing any other desirablecharacteristics of the canteen.

While the cap in the embodiment described above is provided with aseries of arcuately spaced openings with a filtration means positionedthereover, it will be apparent that a number of variations of thisarrangement are possible within the scope of the invention. It ispossible, for

example, to provide for molding the filtration means v integrally withthe plastic cap and of the same plastic material. Also, many differentopening arrangements will be effective so long as they allow filteredwater to enter the canteen while permitting air to escape therefrom whenthe canteen is held in a body of water in the proper posi tion with thecap unscrewed.

It will be understood that other various changes in the details,materials, steps and arrangements of parts, which have been hereindescribed and illustrated in order to explain the nature of theinvention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A screw-on cap for a fluid container having an externally threadedspout thereon comprising a cap body having an internally threadedgenerally cylindrical opening therein and means located at the inner endof said opening capable of forming a fluid-tight seal with the end ofsaid spout when said cap is tightly screwed on said spout, said bodybeing provided with a plurality of spaced openings therethroughextending from the exterior thereof through the sides of saidcylindrical opening near the inner end of said cylindrical opening, saidspaced openings having a substantial portion thereof located outwardlyof said seal-forming means, each of said spaced openings being smallerin size than the opening in said spout whereby fluid may pass throughsaid spaced openings into said container when said cap is partiallyunscrewed on said spout and particles of solid matter in said fluid,which are larger than said spaced openings through said cap, will beprevented from entering said container.

2. A screw-on cap for a fluid container having an externally threadedspout thereon comprising a hollow generally cylindrical body open at oneend and internally threaded to screw on said spout, the inside of theclosed end of said body having means capable of engaging the end of saidspout to form a fluid-tight seal therewith, said body being providedwith a plurality of openings through the side walls thereof, saidopenings being arcuately spaced around the periphery of said body, theinner ends of said openings being located adjacent to said seal-formingmeans and having a substantial portion thereof lying outwardly of saidseal-forming means, said openings being provided with filtration meanswhereby filtered fluid may pass through at least one of said openingsinto said con tainer when said cap is partially unscrewed to unseal saidspout while remaining threadedly engaged on said spout.

3. A screw-on cap for a fluid container according to claim 2 in whichsaid plurality of openings are in a plane perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of said cylindrical body.

4. A screw-0n cap for a fluid container having an externally threadedspout thereon comprising a hollow generally cylindrical body open at oneend and internally threaded to screw on said spout, the. inside of theclosed end of said body having means capable of engaging the end of saidspout to form a fluid-tight seal therewith, said body being providedwith a peripheral recess in the outside surface thereof and spaced fromthe open end thereof, said body being provided with a plurality ofopenings through the side walls thereof arcuately spaced around theperiphery of said body and opening through said peripheral recess, saidperipheral recess and said plurality of openings being in a planeperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical body, theinner ends of said openings being located adjacent to said seal-formingmeans and having a substantial portion thereof lying outwardly of saidsealforming means, said body having a fine mesh screen fixed in saidperipheral recess over the outer ends of said openings whereby filteredfluid may pass through at least one of said openings into said containerwhen said cap is un screwed about one turn to unseal said spout whileremaining threadedly engaged on said spout.

5. In a canteen for storing and transporting water having a hollow bodyportion and an externally threaded spout of reduced diameter joined tosaid body portion through which water is introduced into and removedfrom said canteen, the combination therewith of a closure for said spoutof said canteen comprising an internally threaded plastic cap engageableon said externally threaded spout, the interior surface of the top ofsaid cap being capable of engaging the top of said spout to close andseal said canteen, said cap having at least two arcuately spaced holespassing through the sidewalls thereof adjacent said interior surface ofthe top of said cap and a wire screen fixed over the outer ends of saidholes whereby upon predetermined rotation of said cap from its closedand sealed position a direct fluid passage into and out of said canteenis formed by said holes and the opening between said interior surface ofthe top of said cap and said top of said spout.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 928,943 7/1909 Cox 210-474 X1,125,322 1/1915 Hollingshead 222565 X 2,618,800 11/1952 Raab 222-553 X2,738,105 3/1956 Wolfer et al. 222189 3,199,751 8/1965 Jovanovich222-543 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SCREW-ON CAP FOR A FLUID CONTAINER HAVING AN EXTERNALLY THREADEDSPOUT THEREON COMPRISING A CAP BODY HAVING AN INTERNALLY THREADEDGENERALLY CYLINDRICAL OPENING THEREIN AND MEANS LOCATED AT THE INNER ENDOF SAID OPENING CAPABLE OF FORMING A FLUID-TIGHT SEAL WITH THE END OFSAID SPOUT WHEN SAID CAP IS TIGHTLY SCREWED ON SAID SPOUT, SAID BODYBEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SPACED OPENINGS THERETHROUGHEXTENDING FROM THE EXTERIOR THEREOF THROUGH THE SIDES OF SAIDCYLINDRICAL OPENING NEAR THE INNER END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL OPENING, SAIDSPACED OPENINGS HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION THEREOF LOCATED OUTWARDLYOF SAID SEAL-FORMING MEANS, EACH OF SAID SPACED OPENINGS BEING SMALLERIN SIZE THAN THE OPENING IN SAID SPOUT WHEREBY FLUID MAY PASS THROUGHSAID SPACED OPENINGS INTO SAID CONTAINER WHEN SAID CAP IS PARTIALLYUNSCREWED ON SAID SPOUT AND PARTICLES OF SOLID MATTER IN SAID FLUID,WHICH ARE LARGER THAN SAID SPACED OPENINGS THROUGH SAID CAP, WILL BEPREVENTED FROM ENTERING SAID CONTAINER.